The majority of the tracks onVulnicura Live stick close to their studio originals, but here they are permitted to breathe. Despite the deeply personal subject matter, this is a collective experience. It is as if the narrative is now a play, delivered by Björk to her audience as a retrospective account of past troubles. IfVulnicuracast the listener as a voyeur, thenVulnicura Live offers up the role of confidant.

Boasting incandescent strings, Stonemilker is as majestic and graceful as ever; Björk’s pleas for emotional respect this time seeming as much an appeal for empathy from her audience as a direct appeal to her estranged love. Black Lake is delivered with a marginally tempered torment; her voice sounding less isolated by virtue of the live setting.

It is customary for Björk to include new takes on older material on her live albums, and five such tracks are included here. The highlight of these is an absolutely outstanding version of Come To Me; sleek, brooding and dark, with the playful beat of theDebutoriginal nowhere to be heard. WhileVulnicura Livemay not cut quite as deep asVulnicuraproper, rest assured that it is every bit as breathtaking.